Tottenham outcast Rafael van der Vaart's hopes of a return to Hamburg have been scuppered.

The Daily Mail says encouraged by earlier assurances that they could count on financial backing from 75-year old local businessman Klaus-Michael Kuehne, Hamburg registered their interest in Tottenham midfielder Van der Vaart and were in advanced talks with about signing him for £9.5million.

But they were forced to ditch their interest after Kuehne, whose wealth from his transportation and logistics business makes him Germany's seventh richest man, pulled the plug on the deal.